Farmer plans hair-raising trip to North Pole

The pair are setting off for the Arctic Circle this weekend to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust on a fund-raising expedition and will be joined by Sir Tom's friend, the English explorer David Hempleman-Adams, who has climbed the world's seven highest mountains and sailed the Atlantic solo.

They travel first to Longyearbyen and on to Svalbard Island in the Arctic Circle before undertaking cold weather training at Ice Camp Barneo, 60 miles from the Pole.

They will spend two nights in a tent at the Pole.

Mr Miller, 65, said: "This is all Tom's idea. He told me out of the blue, 'I'm going to the North Pole, do you fancy coming?' My automatic answer was a for better or for worse 'yes, I'm game'.

"We're calling this our Top of the World trip and that's quite apt because any time I ask Tom how he's feeling his instant reply has always been, 'top of the world'.

"We hope to raise a fair bit of money for the Teenage Cancer Trust in Edinburgh, part of that being what we think will be a world's first. I'm Tom's hairdresser and I plan to cut his hair at the Pole.

"I'm not anxious at all. I'm sure it will be a laugh a minute."

Sir Tom,69, said: "David's been a long time friend of mine.

"Mid summer last year we were talking about his feat, walking across the Antarctic to the South Pole. I'd like to do something like that.

"He took me up on that right away, saying 'fine, let's go to the North Pole, I'll take you.' It was tied up there and then.

"I was in at Charlie's having my hair cut and I put the North Pole thing to him.

"He was surprised at the invitation to join David and me. Stunned even – but not to the extent of dropping his scissors."